In a time when it is difficult for nature to survive, zoos become essential sites for conservation. These are not those old zoos that showed animals for entertainment, but now they are redefined as places of preservation and research in favor of nature.
Image: Denis Balibouse
From this perspective, the arrival of a peculiar turtle was celebrated at the Tropiquarium, a zoo in Switzerland. It was the first recorded birth of an albino giant tortoise, a being until now rare in the species.
A one-of-a-kind albino turtle
According to the authorities of the Swiss zoo, two giant Galapagos tortoises were born during the month of May 2022 and it was only now that their official presentation was made to the fans of the enclosure.
Although both parents are black and one of the offspring maintains that color, the other offspring stood out for its particular beauty. This is the first albino Galapagos giant tortoise born in Switzerland and its lack of pigmentation is spectacular.
After the mother laid five eggs on February 11 of this year, the albino calf was born on May 1, while the second calf joined the world just four days later. For now these beautiful creatures weigh only 50 grams and fit in the palm of a hand. However, it is expected that they will grow as big as their parents, this means that they could reach up to 180 kg in weight.
Albinism in animals
From what we know about nature, we tend to believe that nons are something common and in some ways this is true. Albino specimens are not so common to observe or even occur in different species, but it has happened and more frequently than we imagine.
Different albino specimens have been observed in the world, such as penguins and now turtles. And although it may seem like an incredible condition to us, in reality albinism can appear in both animals and humans.
This condition is only about inheritance. The combination of two parents containing a recessive gene. Likewise, it differs from white animals, since albinos have more specific characteristics such as reddish eyes or unpigmented irises.
In any case, leucism and albinism present different qualities of pigmentation in beings. But both could be designated as a lack of coloration in the organism.